Tool for making electrical connections



June 28, 1966 FLOYD, JR

TOOL FOR MAKING ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 22, 1965 June 28, 1966 E. FLOYD, JR 3,257,713

TOOL FOR MAKING ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 22, 1965 sidewalls of the shank at the end.

United States Patent 3,257,713 TOOL FOR MAKING ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS Edwin Floyd, Jr., Harrisburg, Pa., assiguor to AMP Incorporated, Harrisburg, Pa. Filed Mar. 22, 1965, Ser. No. 443,779 Claims. (Cl. 29-203) This invention is a continuation-in-part of my co-pending application Serial No. 350,959, filed March 11, 1964, now abandoned.

This invention relates to tools for making electrical connections between conductors and terminal posts by means of clips which are adapted to hold the conductor against the surface of the post.

In the co-pending application of Robert F. Cobaugh, Serial No. 171,074, filed February 5, 1962, for Electrical Connections, there is disclosed a method of forming an electrical connection between a terminal post and a conductor by means of a channel-shaped terminal clip. This co-pending Cobaugh application discloses tools for applying the clips to the posts in a manner such that the conductor is dragged over a mandrel and onto the post. The clip applying tools disclosed in the aboveidentified Cobaugh application are intended for usage where a fairly large number of connections are being made.

The present invention relates to an extremely simple and compact hand tool for applying clips to terminal posts which is particularly intended for usage under circumstances where only an occasional connection is being made, for example, in maintenance and repair work, and where it is uneconomical or impractical for the technician to use a semi-automatic clip applying tool.

It is accordingly .an object of the invention to provide a compact and lightweight tool for applying terminal clips to terminal posts. 7 A further object is to provide a tool which is inexpensive to manufacture and which can be used effectively by an unskilled operator to make an electrical connection between a terminal post and a conductor. It is a further object of the invention to provide a tool for applying terminal clips to terminal posts in which means are provided to impart an impact force of predetermined magnitude to the clip when it is initially moved onto the post.

These and other objects of the invention are achieved in one preferred embodiment comprising a tool having a generally channel-shaped shank portion which is enlarged at its ends to provide a cavity conforming to the outside dimensions of the terminal clip. A notch is provided in the web of the tool shank at the end thereof and means are provided in the form of a releasable retainer for holding a single clip between the In use, a terminal clip is positioned between the sidewalls and the shank and a wire is inserted between the sidewalls of the clip. The operator then simply aligns the shank with the terminal post and slides the clip onto the post. The wire which was previously positioned between the sidewalls of the clip is thus dragged onto the surface of the post and held against the post by the clip. The tool is removed from the post and the clip by releasing the retainer which normally holds the clip in the end of the tool. In accordance with one embodiment of my invention, a trip hammer is provided on the end of the shank to impart an impact blow to the shank when the terminal is initially applied to the post.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a clip applying tool in accordance with the invention;

7 FIGURE 2 is a side view of the frontal portion of the tool;

FIGURE 3 is a view taken along the lines 3-3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional side view of the end portion of the tool and showing a terminal clip contained in the tool with the tool in alignment with a terminal post;

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of a terminal clip of the type which the tool of FIGURE 1 is adapted to apply to a terminal post;

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 7 is a sectional side view of the embodiment of FIGURE 6 showing the normal positions of the parts;

FIGURE 8 is a view similar to FIGURE 7 but showing the positions of the parts immediately prior to delivery of an impact blow to the end of the shank;

FIGURE 9 is a sectional view taken along the lines 9- 9 of FIGURE 8; and

FIGURE 10 is a perspective view of the shank of the tool of FIGURE 6.

A typical terminal clip 2 in accordance with the invention of the above-identified application Serial No. 171,074 comprises a web 4 having sidewalls 6 extending from its edges. The sidewalls are curled along their longitudinal marginal portions as shown in 8 and an insulation support 9 is provided at one end of the web, this insulation support comprising a pair of outwardly struck ears which form an outwardly directed concavity in the web. The terminal 12 is adapted to be moved onto a terminal post 10 and to drag the end portion of a wire 12 over the surface of the post so that when the terminal comes to rest, it is mounted on the post with the stripped end 14 of the wire held against the surface of the post and with insulated portion of the wire emerging from beneath the web through the insulation support 9 of the clip.

One preferred form of tool in accordance with the present invention comprises a cylindrical handle 16 having a clip removing device 18 (described below) extending from one end thereof and having a clip applying device in accordance with the present invention extending from its other end. The clip applying device comprises a generally channel-shaped shank 20 having sidewalls 22 which extend from a flat base or web 24. The distance between the opposed surface of sidewalls 22 is greater than the width of the terminal post 10 in order to permit relative movement of the post between the sidewalls as described below.

The end 26 of the shank is also a channel-shaped crosssection but is somewhat larger than the portion 20 thereof, this end comprising a web 30 from which sidewalls 28 extend. The distance between the opposed surfaces of the sidewalls 28 of the end 26 is preferably substantially equal to the distance between the external surfaces of the sidewalls 6 of the terminal clip so that the clip will fit relatively snugly within the cavity formed by the sidewalls 28 and the web 30. A notch 32 is provided on the top wall 39 of the end portion of the shank for the accommodation of the outwardly cupped insulation support 9 of the terminal clip and to permit the wire 12 to be led rearwardly along the shank during usage of the tool. Means, in the form of a lever 34, are provided to temporarily retain a clip in the cavity in the end of the shank while the clip is being applied to the post. This lever is of generally channel-shaped cross-section and is pivoted to shank 20 of the tool by means of a pin 40. The sidewalls of the lever 34- are cut away at the end 35 which is adjacent to the end 26 of the shank. The

0 opposite end 46 of the lever 34 is enlarged to facilitate 3 end 34 of the lever towards the tool shank thereby to retain the terminal clip in the tool as shown in FIG- URE 2.

In use, the operator inserts a terminal clip into the cavity at the end 26 of the shank with the web 4 of the clip disposed against the web 30 of the tool shank and with the ears 9 located in the notch 32. The terminal will then be held in the cavity by the end 35 of the retainer. The operator inserts the stripped end 14 of the wire into the terminal clip and between the clip sidewalls. The-wire is led through the insulation support 9 of the clip, through the notch 32, and along the .web 24 of the tool shank and is held against this shank during the clip applying operation as shown in FIGURE 4. The operator then aligns the tool with the terminal post and slides the clip onto the post by moving the tool relatively toward the post. The post will move relatively through the clip and between the sidewalls 24 of the tool shank. After the clip has been moved onto the post the desired amount, the operator merely presses on the finger piece 46 of the lever 34 and lifts the tool from the terminal clip and the post. The wire, which will have been dragged onto the post by the terminal clip, is then held against the surface of the post by the clip.

If desired, a clip removing device as shown at 18 can be provided on the same handle 16 as the clip applying tool of the present invention. This clip removing device has a shank portion having a channel-shaped end with side walls 48. The distance in between the sidewalls 48 is substantaially equal to the distance between an external side 6 of the clip and the surface of the curled sidewall so that the curled portion of the clip can be positioned between the sidewalls 48 of the removing device. In use, when it is desired to remove a terminal clip from the post, the end portion 48 is positioned with one of the sidewalls disposed between the side walls 48 of the extractor tool. The handle of the tool is then merely twisted through about a quarter of a turn thereby to bend the sidewall outwardly and release the clip from its embracing relationship from the post.

FIGURES 6-10 show an alternative embodiment of the invention having a trip hammer means for imposing an impact blow on the end of the shank when the clip is first applied to the terminal post. The shank 20' of the embodiment of FIGURE 6 is substantially similar to the shank of the embodiment of FIGURE 1 and has an enlarged end 26' with a recess therein for the accommodation of an individual terminal clip. A retaining modation of an individual terminal clip. A retaining spring 34' is secured to the lower side of the shank as with the embodiment of FIGURE 1 to retain this clip in the enlarged end 26' of the end. In general the same reference numerals, differentiated by prime marks, are used to identitfy the parts of the shank of the tool of FIGURE 6 which correspond to the parts of the tool of FIGURE 1.

The tool of FIGURE 6 has an outer housing comprising a top wall 52 and depending sidewalls 54 at its forward end. A pair of handles 56 are integral with and extend from the sidewalls 54 intermediate the ends of the tool and a generally square extension 58 projects rearwardly from the outer housing. An interframe 60, 62, 64 is mounted within the outer housing at the forward end of the tool and the top wall 60 of this inter-frame extends rearwardly as shown at 66 against the underside of the outer housing wall 52. This extension 66 is riveted to the outer housing as shown at 67. Sidewalls 68 (FIG- URE 9) depend from the extension 66 and are inwardly turned towards each other as shown at 70 to form a guide means for the tool shank as described below.

The tool shank is enlarged at its rearward end as shown at 71 and is slidably mounted between the side walls 68. The retaining spring 34' extends rearwardly of the shank between the sidewalls 22 and is mounted to the shank by means of bar 27 also contained between the sidewalls of the shank. The bar 72 and the retaining spring are held in position by inwardly directed ears 74 struck from the shank sidewalls as shown in FIGURE 10. Advantageously, the retaining spring 34' is also held in position by means of a U-shaped yoke member 76 mounted on the shank intermediate its ends and riveted to the shank end to the retaining spring 34 by a fastener 78. The bar 72 has an integral flange 80 on its rearward end which functions as a striking plate for the impact hammer described below. r

The hammer member 82 is slidably contained between the sidewalls of the outer housing and guided along a predetermined path of movement by means of pins 84 which extend through the hammer and through parallel slots 86 in the sidewalls 54. The ends of the pins 84 are secured to a slide member 88 mounted on the upper side of the housing to permit manual retraction of the hammer against the force of a biasing spring 90. This spring is disposed between the rearward side of the ham mer 82 and a cap piece 92 on the end of the extension 58.

The hammer is controlled by a relatively thin latch plate 94 disposed between the sidewalls 54 and beneath the shank. The forward end of the plate 94 has an eye 96 formed thereon which surrounds a pin 98 extending transversely between the sidewalls 54 at the forward ends thereof. The right-hand end of the plate 94 has an upwardly directed lip 100 for engagement with the face of the hammer when it is in its retracted position (FIG- URE 8) and a tang 102 is struck up from the plate 94 intermediate its ends. The latch plate 94 is upwardly biased as viewed in FIGURES 7 and 8 by means of a leaf spring 104 extending between the plate 94 and secured at 106 to the portion 64 of the inter-frame. Leaf spring 104 is reversely bent at 108 so that its end 110 is disposed beneath the end portion of the latch plate 94.

In use, the parts will normally be in the positions of FIGURE 7 at the beginning of an operating cycle. The operator positions a terminal clip in the enlarged end 26' of the shank 20 and locates the stripped end of the wire between the sidewalls of the clip. The operator thereafter pulls the slide member 88 rightwardly to retract the hammer 82 until its right-hand end moves beyond the upwardly turned lip 100 of the latch plate 94. The plate 94 will then be urged upwardly to the position of FIGURE 8 by the spring 104 to latch the hammer in its retracted position.

When the clip is applied to the terminal post, the operator simply aligns the shank with the post and presses downwardly on the tool to push the clip onto the end of the post. The resistance encountered by the clip to its initial movement onto the post will cause the shank to move relatively inwardly with respect to the housing until the plate 80 moves over the tang 102 thereby swinging the plate 94 through a slight clockwise are from the position of FIGURE 8. This movement of the plate results in downward movement of the lip 100 thereby releasing the hammer 82 which is impelled leftwardly under the influence of the spring 90 to deliver an impact blow to the plate 80. This impact blow is sulficient to overcome the initial resistance encountered by the clip so that it is moved onto the top of the post. The clip can then be moved downwardly by merely pressing further on the handle.

The embodiment of FIGURE 6 is particularly intended for usage under circumstances Where substantial resistance to movement of the clip onto the post is encountered. This resistance to movement of the clip is relatively high when the clip is first applied to the post although it drops to a relatively low level after the clip is completely assembled to the post and the clip can be moved downwardly with ordinary manual force. It will be apparent that alternative forms of trip hammers can be used with a shank in accordance with the invention to deliver this impact blow.

Changes in construction will occur to those skilled in the art and various apparently different modifications and embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. The matter set forth in the foregoing description and accompanying drawings is offered by way of illustration only. The actual scope of the invention is intended to be defined in the following claims when viewed in their proper perspective against the prior art.

I claim:

1. A tool for applying a terminal clip to a terminal post to form an electrical connection between a conductor and said post, said clip being telescopically movable onto said post and having an open seam extending axially along one side thereof, said tool comprising, a shank, channel-shaped clip holding means having a web and sidewalls at one end of said shank, said clip holding means conforming to the cross-section of said clip whereby said clip can be positioned in said clip holding means and between said sidewalls, said web of said clip holding means being notched between said sidewalls at the end thereof, clip retaining means mounted on said shank, said retaining means being resiliently urged towards said sidewalls for retaining said clip between said sidewalls whereby, upon positioning said clip in said clip holding means and positioning the end portion of a wire within said clip, and moving said tool axially over a terminal post, said clip is telescopically moved onto said post, said wire is dragged by said clip over said post and said clip holds said wire against said post to form said electrical connection.

2. A device as set forth in claim 1 including a handle on said shank.

3. A device as set forth in claim 1 including means at the other end of said shank for delivering an aixal impact blow to said shank upon application of an axial force to said shank.

4. A device as set forth in claim 1 including impact trip hammer means on the other end of said shank for applying an impact blow to said shank.

5. A tool for applying a terminal clip to a terminal post, said clip being telescopically movable onto said post and having an open seam extending axially along one side thereof, said tool comprising a housing, a shank extending from said housing, said shank having generally channel-shaped clip holding means at its forward end, said clip holding'means conforming to the cross-section of said clip whereby said clip can be positioned in said clip holding means and between said sidewalls, said web of said clip holding means being notched between said sidewalls at the end thereof, clip retaining means mounted on said shank, said clip retaining means being resiliently urged towards said sidewalls for retaining said clip between said sidewalls to hold a clip in said clip retaining means, said housing having impact trip hammer therein and spring means biasing said impact means towards the inner end of said shank whereby, upon assembly of a clip in said clip holding means to a terminal post, said impact trip hammer delivers an impact blow to the end of said shank.

References fitted by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS WHITMORE A. WILTZ, Primary Examiner.

THOMAS H. EAGER, Examiner. 

1. A TOOL FOR APPLYING A TERMINAL CLIP TO A TERMINAL POST TO FORM AN ELECTRICALL CONNECTION BETWEEN A CONDUCTOR AND SAID POST, AND CLIP BEING TELESCOPICALLY MOVABLE ONTO SAID POST AND HAVING AN OPEN SEAM EXTENDING AXIALLY ALONG ONE SIDE THEREOF, SAID TOOL COMPRISING, A SHANK, CHANNEL-SHAPED CLIP HOLDING MEANS HAVING A WEB AND SIDEWALLS AT ONE END OF SAID SHANK, SAID CLIP HOLDING MEANS CONFORMING TO THE CROSS-SECTION OF SAID CLIP WHEREBY SAID CLIP CAN BE POSITIONED IN SAID CLIP HOLDING MEANS AND BETWEEN SAID SIDEWALLS, SAID WEB OF SAID CLIP HOLDING MEANS BEING NOTCHED BETWEEN SAID SIDEWALLS AT THE END, THEREOF, CLIP RETAINING MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID SHANK, SAID RETAINING MEANS BEING RESILIENTLY URGED TOWARDS SAID SIDEWALLS FOR RETAINING SAID CUP BETWEEN SAID SIDEWALLS WHEREBY, UPON POSITIONING SAID CLIP IN SAID CLIP HOLDING MEANS AND POSTIONING THE END PORTION OF A WIRE WITHIN SAID CLIP, AND MOVING SAID TOOL AXIALLY OVER A TERMINAL POST, SAID CLIP IS TELESCOPICALLY MOVED ONTO SAID POST, AND WIRE IS DRAGGED BY SAID CLIP OVER SAID POST AND SAID CLIP HOLDS SAID WIRE AGAINST SAID POST TO FORM SAID ELECTRICAL CONNECTION. 